Racine schools roll out expanded vaping-prevention lessons and a diversion program to avoid expulsions

RACINE, Wis. — Racine Unified School District staff on Monday told the board they will expand classroom vaping-prevention lessons, publish parent resources and pilot a 10‑week diversion program that can be offered in place of automatic expulsion for some student substance incidents.

Andrea Rickers, executive director of student services, said the district received grant funding for prevention work and has partnered with Focus on Community to deliver classroom curricula and intervention services. “The number 1 reason that students and children, kids across the country have identified as the why is that their family and friends do it,” Rickers said, describing the social drivers that staff hope the curriculum will address.

The district plans to add lessons from the Catch My Breath curriculum to existing programming: three additional lessons in sixth grade, two lessons for grades 6–9, and optional fourth‑ and fifth‑grade materials if the board agrees. Staff also plan to purchase a short module called Fentanyl Facts for grades 6–9 and consider four extra substance‑misuse…